# Biggest spiders?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-spiders/192649>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 3, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-spiders/192649 "2003-08-03T01:59:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-spiders/192649/1 "2003-08-03T01:59:28Z")

</div>

What is the largest type of spider? Is it true that the very biggest ones can kill and eat birds and small mammals, or is that just folklore?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-spiders/192649/2 "2003-08-03T02:02:56Z")

</div>

[The Goliath Birdeating Spider](http://www.wcsscience.com/biggest/spider.html).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-spiders/192649/3 "2003-08-03T02:19:20Z")

</div>

Dangbeaten. I’ve seen pictures of a tarantula spanning a basketball